


Day 275

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [275]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26779051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [275]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 275

Emile and Huon were huddled together on either side of a small wooden table tucked away in an alcove in the library. The elf had been reading his research notes to Emile. Huon was a much better tutor then the ones the Circle had assigned. He had a soft, slow voice that was soothing to listen to. It made litening, and remembering, much easier and Emile wondered if he would have had an easier time with tranquil instructors. 

“When I was preparing a presentation for Senior Enchanter Wynne," Huon explained, "I learned about some of the experiments the dwarves tried to attempt a recreation of the miracle that was Caradin's success. They could not find a message willing to do what had to be done in the South, so they had to look to Tevinter.”

“You mean blood magic?” Emile said. “Did you learn a blood magic ritual in your studies?”

Huon’s eyes snapped to the nearest templar. The man was watching them, though he had given no indication he had heard a word they had said. Huon leaned in very close, his soothing voice taking on an intensity that made it terrifying.

“Do not ever speak to me of blood magic,” Huon said. He grabbed Emile by the lapels and pulled him halfway across the table. “I am here with you because of your father, but if you say or do anything that might send me back into the hole I just crawled out of I will-”

The templar had finally taken notice and laid a mailed hand on Huon’s shoulder.

“Easy there,” said the templar. “Calm down mage o-”

“I understand,” Huon said, shaking his shoulder free of the templar’s grip. Emile was more stunned by that small act of defiance than Huon’s attack against Emile. Huon was the bravest mage Emile had ever met, and he was in awe. The templar returned to his pose and Huon turned his attention back to Emile.

Emile expected the lesson to continue but that was when Evelina and Nalanna arrived. 

“Huon,” Evelina said, with a sly almost flirtatious smile. “How goes the lesson with rich boy?”

“He’s too inquisitive for his own good,” Huon said. “I might have enchant his mouth shut if he keeps asking dangerous questions.” The others were ignoring Emile’s presence, as per usual. The only women who normally talked to him were his tutors and they were all old.

“I require Huon’s expertise for a moment,” Nalanna said to the templar.

“For what?” the templar asked. Nalanna handed him a note. The templar read it and nodded. 

“You have ten minutes,” he said. “I don’t think I can stand being alone with this idiot for longer than that.” 

“That will be sufficient for our needs.” Nallana said. The two women left with Huon.

Emile wondered if they were sneaking off to have a secret tryst. Emile had, of course, heard rumour of mages finding the time to sneak off for lovemaking, even while under the scrutiny of the templar. Emile had always dreamed of doing that, but he had never had the courage to try to bribe a templar, let alone approach one of the lady mages with a proposition.

Huon. Huon was suave, with a voice like honey. He was a blood mage, and he openly defied the templars. He was everything that the heroes in the stories Meredith had decided were not suitable reading material for ‘impressionable young mages.’

Emile would never be like Huon… but if he were to learn everything he could from Huon, he could fake it if given the opportunity. Emile remembered the promise he had made to himself the night of his Harrowing. He would know the pleasure that other men of his berth had as a matter of course. 

But how?

Huon must be planning an escape. No mage who so openly opposed the templars could survive for long in Kirkwall’s Circle. Emile had resources, he and his father could help. All he needed to do was convince Huon that Emile could be an asset. He could start by being a devoted student.

Under the disapproving gaze of the templar, Emile unrolled one of Huon’s note scrolls and started reading.


End file.
